How bright the sun is shining this morning in the clear and frosty air! We scarcely could have a better day for realizing and bringing down into this world the special glories of the Octave of Christmas.

On the 8th day or octave of a great festival there always is a kind of accentuation of some of the aspects of that festival, a condensation bringing to maturity its glories, which then have to be distributed and sown abroad as well as that can be done.

I may remind you of my two previous talks and explain some then said We must come now to a realization of the Feast of Christmas not for ourselves but for humanity, so that the Christmas light born in the holy night may be displayed during the 8 days after Christmas.

On the highest spiritual plane, on the Virgin Rock, the foundation must be Iaid, wherefrom the building will start. This is only possible for us, when we are free from even the least vestige of self interest. We must come to realize the fundamental needs as well as the possible glories of mankind, which are far more important than knowing ourselves and our private requirements. If we are able to die unto ourselves for the sake of Humanity, we shall behold the Christ and shall be able to take our stand on the ultimate reality of the Absolute. If we enter into the spirit of sacrifice to the Master and to the world, into the Spirit of the Christmas birth, we shall behold the beautiful young Christmas light break through on Earth, and see it grow gradually. When we have seen even a glimpse of that New Light in the lower worlds, then we shall radiate it out and shall thus really enter into the glories of that Great Festival.

Christmas is a birth, the glorification of the human individual, the Atma-Buddhi-Manas of men and so a shadow of man's second aspect. Pentecost is the glorification of the personality, the third aspect, while with Easter there comes a Vision of the glorification of the personality and the individuality in the Monad, the first aspect of men in a special sense. When we have risen to that Vision, it is as though we are shattered into the simplest components and that every atom is thereby vivified. In every atom is then built an ideal new personality through all the Kingdoms.

When at Pentecost the personality is dissolved, there remains a light-structure of the individuality. The structure rushes upwards in a fine filigran structure; in a spiral like the Eiffel tower, culminating in one atmic point. At the octave this whole structure has become one great blazing column of light. At Christmas the light of Wisdom (the Young Mother) and the Light of Christ (the Young Child) form a column of Light, the most subtle of all Light, piercing through every atom. At the octave of Pentecost the great blazing column of Light is the consummation, the culmination of this first tender Mystery of Christmas. At this time of the year you can, as it were. touch il. It makes a bridge between the atmic plane and the physical, wherein all beings may share.

At the beginning of the Christmas week a great blessing comes down gradually from the spiritual planes by the aid of great beings, belonging to the hierarchy of St. Gabriel, who with His group of Angels takes part in the distribution of the forces in the Christmas season. These forces come down as a fine rain of snow, as manna. This is best to realize in the early morning on a clear day like this one. It is a process of condensation, of stepping down of the forces, which makes it possible that this heavenly food can be assimilated even by physical man, by our lower vehicles and our emotions.

There are other glorious manifestations on this 8th day of Christmas. I told you about the appearing of a spiritual structure of (masculine) light, springing forth from the Rock of deep dark porphyrite glass, about a birth like that of Mithras born out of the virgin rock. Out of that rock comes the beautiful first ray of the Christmas Light. Then there is on that day the mystical birth on the higher planes belonging to the Ego, working in the causal body, in his consciousness on the higher mental plane. If we look at humanity as a whole, its Ego is not yet born, it is still wrapped in swaddling clothes. It is like an Egg; on this time of the year; it bursts open with the help of Angels and brings forth a mind-born heavenly fire-bird, stretching out its magnificent wings and soaring upward. It is the bursting forth of an aspect of the Divine Mind (not of the Intellect). This Bird gives its Word of Glory to the Angels -- our protecting Angels. He can share in great ceremonies in that way by the power given to him by the Great Beings.

The Church is a special form which draws this power from on high, so that this divine power, bursting forth from the ego of humanity, finds appropriate channels for its influence in the celebration of all the Christian churches.

Another glory on this 8th day manifests on the buddhic plane. If you take the symbol of a young sun, rising above the horizon, which is the airy symbol of the young mother, you will see the light of the New Day only as a line of light. In that great glory of what is called the "mystical air", you notice the awakening, the birth of buddhi in man. This sun is too powerful to shine out, but its light is spreading immediately through the whole world, it fills everything. You see only the light of the young Sun, resting on the waters of life, having its freedom in its expansion in the "mystical air". This is a great power, that is realized at this time of year.

Another spiritual phenomenon, that is special to New-Year's Day, is noticed by them who enter into these mysteries. When you have taken your starting point in the atmic world, you will hear the silver fluted voice of the King of the World. He stands for Ishvara. Every year He is Uniqueness itself, every year He gives the Word for the Year which has to be fulfilled during the year. as a part of the general plan becoming more and more distinct

This word is passed on by the Angels of St. Gabriel. In this time of the year these Angels are easily seen and it is possible to contact them, to ask them questions which they will answer in a way, understandable to mortal men. On this day it is as if some of the Angels, belonging to the Gandharva's, join in and give out this Word in a beautiful choir, so that It may resound in every man as a help for the fulfilling of the Word of the King.

These are the main aspects of this first day of the year. Let us try to perceive something of this beautiful Word of the King and to help humanity to fulfill Its message.